Ukraine Says It Struck Two Major Russian Refineries Hours After Zelenskyy’s Meeting With Trump

Ukrainian forces said they struck two of Russia's largest oil refineries overnight in a long-range operation Kyiv officials described as part of continued pressure on Moscow’s military and economic capabilities.

Attack Details

Ukraine's Security Service and the General Staff said the strikes set fires at a Lukoil refinery in the Perm region — more than 1,500 kilometers (about 900 miles) from Ukraine — and at a refinery in Ryazan, roughly 400 kilometers (about 180 miles) from the border. Kyiv said the two refineries together have an annual production capacity of about 220 million barrels and are important to Russia's military logistics and state revenue.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands with a bipartisan group of Senators in the Capitol building, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)(AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

It was not immediately possible to independently verify the Ukrainian claims. Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said six people were hospitalized after a drone incident and that debris from drones sparked fires at unspecified industrial sites. Russian e-commerce firm Wildberries said it evacuated employees from a Ryazan facility but gave no further details.

Context and Capabilities

Ukraine has carried out frequent long-range strikes using domestically developed drones and missiles for months, targeting fuel infrastructure and other rear-area logistics to disrupt supplies to Russian forces. While Russia fields sophisticated air defenses, the country’s vast territory makes comprehensive coverage difficult.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol with from left: Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., following a meeting of bipartisan leaders of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey)

“Russia must feel that every day of this war will only come at a higher cost for it,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media after his Washington trip.

Political and Military Developments

The attacks came hours after Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to press for additional aid and sanctions. Zelenskyy described the meeting as "good," and Trump called it a "Great Honor," saying on Truth Social, "Many things were discussed. The meeting went very well!" Talks with bipartisan U.S. senators and meetings with representatives of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are part of Kyiv’s push for technology cooperation and weapons support, including discussions about manufacturing Patriot air-defense systems under U.S. licenses.

Ukraine has also emphasized its own drone innovations, offering to share combat-tested unmanned systems and related know-how. Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, recently praised Ukraine’s use of unmanned systems for enhancing reconnaissance, logistics and precision strikes.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, is joined by from left: Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, and Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a meeting of bipartisan leaders of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey)

Other Reported Operations

Kyiv reported additional strikes on Russian military targets, including a naval base used by Russia's Black Sea fleet, a radar station in the Bryansk region, a drone launch site and a bridge in occupied parts of eastern Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian official also said Ukrainian forces struck 201 Russian vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov over the past three weeks, a tally that excludes some incidents reported by other Ukrainian units.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 295 Ukrainian drones overnight over several Russian regions and occupied Crimea. Separately, Russian glide bombs struck Kharkiv and other locations in the region over the previous 24 hours, wounding 11 people, regional authorities said.

Note: Many of these operational claims have not been independently verified. Reporting is based on statements from Ukrainian and Russian officials and regional authorities.

Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Follow AP's ongoing coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine